Program

A Celebration of Charter 77: Then and Now

A worldwide celebration of Charter 77, the landmark human rights declaration co-authored by Vaclav Havel in Czechoslovakia in 1977, will be held on Friday, January 6. In New York, the occasion will be marked with music and performances, featuring The Renaldo The Ensemble, a public reading of Charter 77, excerpts from Havel's interviews and a short excerpt of a play, a performance of a new found text piece based on the events, and much more.

Associated events will be held on the same day in Prague, Seoul, Brussels, Washington DC, and Miami. Charter 77 was one of the first documents to bring Václav Havel to international attention. He was jailed for his part in it, but its words eventually inspired the Velvet Revolution. It has also inspired similar documents in Belarus and China, and it serves as an example for citizens deprived of their rights by totalitarian regimes

FEATURING: - The Renaldo The Ensemble- Melissa Elledge on accordion- A public reading of Charter 77- Excerpts from Havel's interviews- A short excerpt from a Havel play- a discussion of the Charter- a brief excerpt of a film documentary about the charter- A new found text piece by Edward Einhorn based on the events

WITH:Peter Brown,Robert Honeywell, Richard Toth, and a series of special guests who will be reading the charter.

Organized by the Czech Center New York and Untitled Theater Company #61 in cooperation with the Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York